


Wild woman, stubborn man, and a happy ending

by awehellyiss



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Arya stays in the north where she belongs, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Prince Gendry, Prince!Gendry, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-28 04:30:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10823793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awehellyiss/pseuds/awehellyiss
Summary: Arya is long past a marrying age and is still wild as ever, Gendry is a prince but will never sit on the throne. He belongs with her, and she belongs in the north.This is my take on a happy ending they both deserve, in a place they both belong.Gendry is the acknowledged but not legitimized Bastard of Robert Baratheon, Ned stark served as hand of the king for eight long years, but now the long summer is over and winter is coming.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first GoT work, I just cant stop thinking about this pairing and I think they deserve better then what they've gotten so far. This work is only edited by me so all mistakes are mine. there will be eventual smut and romance and stuff. I've got a few chapters written, let me know if you want more. This'll probably be a 10 chapter fic when i'm done but i'm not sure yet. Please read and enjoy, and comment if you want anything to happen or have suggestions

It had been eight long years away from winterfell. Eight long, long years for Lord Eddard Stark to be so far from home. Eight years away from the north, eight years mediating the king's actions and the simpering lords of the courts disputes. It had been hard for Ned to convince the king to let him leave.

“The summer is ending, I must return north, winter is coming and we need to prepare” Ned had argued, not for the first time, In the king's private chambers, or in the small council meetings, or anywhere the king thought fit to bring up.

“Fuck the winter. Ned I need you here as my hand, who else to keep my back free of knives and my court free of problems?” Robert, a King used to getting what he wanted was not happy to be losing this fight.

“Robert I will be returning home, it’s weather you try and arrest me for treason or abandoning the crown or whatever you’d call this so called betrayal, that is your choice. I have given eight long years to you as the hand. I have missed my son grow into a man, missed my eldest daughters wedding. It is time for me to go home” Lord Stark was tired, and worn thin.

“Fine abandon me here” the king slumped, much like a petulant child “leave me here to be torn apart by Lions” Ned sighed at that. It was a low blow, seeing as Tywin lannister was suggested to become the next hand of the king

“A king should not pout at his friend's departure when the king himself knows that there is responsibilities to their people”

“Alright-alright Ned, you’ve won. I’ll let you go home free of charges.” The king was defeated, “go home, become the warden of the north again. And make sure no wildling armies take my kingdom” And that was the end of it. The only loose end to tie up was the bastard prince that Robert had acknowledged but not made heir, Gendry

“I would have my son you accompany you north” Robert called as Ned stood to leave “let him be a ward in winterfell. Carry the Baratheon name, insure that my family name will not die outside of Stanis in storm's end or my own lannister brood” the king never begged, but to Ned this was a desperate plea.

“Of course, if he is willing he will come north and I will let him be a ward and give him lands and find him a wife, I will do what I can for your house as you did for mine.”

 

Near twenty and two, Gendry was the spitting image of his father, broad and tall, much larger in fact than all of the lords at court. At 14 Ned had brought him to the Keep to be trained as a lord where the king had acknowledged him as a bastard, but not legitimized him as a son. No one in seven kingdoms would let a bastard sit on the throne if there were two trueborn son heirs, no matter how much of a cunt one of them was.

So there Gendry was, a lord with no lands, skills in blacksmithing and swordplay and neither a smith or a night, trained in whatever else lording entailed, trained to be a king's son, a prince but not in line for the throne. And he was miserable.

Ned found him in the castle forge, hammering a sword with the ease of strength of years of practice. He turned to face lord stark as he came in, said a brusque “My lord”  immediately scowled and turned back to his work.

“I fear news of my departure north has reached you, before I could tell you myself” Ned stated, there was no question that Gendry's sour mood was from feeling abandoned by the closest thing to a father he actually had.

“I am happy you are finally leaving King's Landing, returning home. Leaving me here with these people” he kept hammering the lump of steel into a sword.

Eddard stark was reminded of Jon snow, the look of a bastard plain in Gendry, the hopelessness of not belonging anywhere. “Gendry, your father asked something of me before my departure, something about you”

Gendry huffed, “My father ought to see me himself, instead of sending you” Gendry Plunged the sword into a nearby bucket, watching the puff of steam before jamming it roughly into the forge. “Least he could do for any of his bastards, treat them with any real respect.”

“Gendry, I would not advise you speak ill of the king, regardless of how you feel. Besides I think you might will like to hear what I have to say” Eddard new Gendry well, after mostly raising him for the eight years he was hand. He knew of the anger that Gendry inherited from his father.

“Gendry would you like to leave kings landing?” Ned knew he had to let Gendry decide, before he could actually offer the escape, for Gendry's sake alone, he needed to choose his place.

Gendry finally turned to face lord stark, “More than anything, I’d leave this shit hole if I could now, but a bastard prince doesn't have many options”

“Your father asked me to take you north, to winterfell, to insure the Baratheon Bloodline outside of storm's end-” before he could finish Gendry spoke “you mean I could leave here? Not be a prince anymore?”

“You’d still be a prince, my lord” Ned smiled “but yes you’d leave King’s Landing with me” a broad grin spread across Gendry’s face

“When do we leave”

So it happened that within the week Gendry, Ned, and his guards were packed and riding North, riding home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned Stark is home

Arya stood atop the the great keep, laying against the roof tiles. For if her lady mother was to see her she would be locked in her chambers until she was married; which was likely to be never. She was squat against the slanted roof overlooking the eastern gate of Winterfell, and beyond that Wintertown, and the road that lead form the King’s road. Two days ago the maester had received a raven from lord Stark's party, that they were three days ride away and would likely arrive before midday if weather permited.

So there arya waited, to catch a glimpse of her father's party. She wore a simple rough wool dress, befitted more for a common women then a lady of winterfell, but Arya would rather tear and muddy one her mother would not be sad at losing. Arya had climbed onto the keep's roof just before dawn so she would not be seen from below, knowing winterfell so well as to avoid the guards rounds and the cooks morning routines. Syrio had taught her how to be still as calm water and as quiet as a shadow, so she sat in the rising sun, as it grew warmer and brighter she remained focused on the roads below never moving to draw attention to herself.

It had been four years since she had seen her father, four years since the horrible visit to King's Landing she made with Sansa and a few other northern ladies, all but Arya had been seeking marriage proposals. But Arya at four and ten would have nothing of it, she met her father and all the interesting lords of the court. She had disliked the king's children except for the bastard prince, she hated him. He always called her m’lady and wouldn't leave her alone long enough so she could sneak into the crypts below the castle. Arya had missed her father more than she could admit, in the eight years he had been gone, Arya had grown into a woman. She had flowered and learned swordplay and become a woman true while he was hand of the king, and nothing made Arya happier than to know her father was returning home, where he belonged.

She would have grown bored and hungry atop the keep's’ roof if she did not see her father's party approaching winterfell by midday, so it was a good thing she could make out the hazy outlines of about thirty men by noon.

Quickly sliding to the edge of the roof, she dropped over, snagged a windowsill and slid gracefully along the well worn rocks, expertly climbing to the ground. Though in her excitement he hit the hard packed earth much harder than she wanted to, she had to roll to not break and ankle,before she could stand and call nymeria who had most likely spend the morning in the Godswood relaxing, two feet acompanied by a harsh angry voice met her, as she came face to face with her lady mothers anger, she stood to take her punishment, as it was too late to escape

“By the gods you could have broken your neck Arya, you could have died, how could a lady do such things, my daughter risking her life” she screamed and huffed, on and on, the same lecture Arya always got. But as always she eventually sputtered to a stop and Arya took her opportunity “Father's party approaches from the east, they’ll be here shortly we should go wait in the courtyard for them, else we wont get to stand like proper ladys to meet lord stark” She mocked and turnedd, but before she got far Catlyn gripped her upper arm 

“Arya, you are eight and ten, this must stop else I lock you in your room till you’re old and grey” Arya sighed and looked disintrested but her mother continued “if you don’t start to behave i’ll have you locked away and that wild wolf of yours set free, I’ll have your horse sold off, your swords and knives melted down, and your pants and tunics and boy cloths all burned I swear by all the gods, I am done with this, I have indulged it far too long, you’ll behave or I’ll make you” Arya was aghast at her mother “if you do that I’ll run away beyond the wall, become a wildling”

“You’ll do no such thing, I thought we were past this nonsense, I thought you were grown now, but I see I was wrong. Now go ready for your father, else I tell him what you've been up too.” An empty threat, but Arya couldn't sure of, so she straightened her back and locked eyes hotly with her mother then turned on her heel and walked to her room, calling for Nymeria on the way. Her father would not let those things happen, surely, but then again eight years, or four if she counted her brief visit to king's landing was a long time not to see your wild daughter at home. Arya was not sure and a little worried she may have taken her antics too far this time, she would need to behave until her mother calmed down.

 

Lord stark entered Winterfell just before midday, greeted by Robb, Catlyn, Bran, Rickon and Arya, sansa having been married off to willas tyrell two years past. Among all the other small folk who shouted and cheered for their lord's return.

Eddard had dismounted his horse quickly and rushed to meet his family, it was hardly proper, but after eight long years propriety be damned he would hug his children and wife. 

It was a hectic reunion, with many tears and hugs before the Stark children minus Sansa who had been married to Willas tyrell two years before, made it into the great hall, to eat their midday meal. There was set to be a grand dinner at night fall for all of the people of winterfell to see their lord back and healthy. But Lord Stark and his family could rest with only each other for a moment of catching up after so long.

Arya was lucky that her mother was too weepy eyed at the reunion to mention their mornings argument, or comment on arya's behavior the last few years. It was mostly a catch up between Ned and his sons, Rickon who seemed to think he needed to impress his father was embellishing his achievements as children are like to do.  

Eventually after a meal and a few hours of talking Robb Bran and rickon left to go spar, or ride horses or whatever it was they wanted, as boys could do until the feast that night. 

So Arya was left with her Father and mother, in the empty great hall. As a Lady was expected to do, sit and wait to be dismissed.

“So Arya, what have you doing since you came to king’s landing” A quick glance at her mother told her she was to distracted by her father then to contradict her.

“This and that, you know, being a proper lady” she smiled at her father, “I find that hard to believe.” he quipped back, happy to be home, he had lost his usual serious Stark demeanor.

“Father I have learned to sew, and dance, and all other things ladies are suppose to do. I really am a true lady now” she couldn't even keep a straight face saying it

“So you've given up swordplay and archery, learned to be a lady?” Her mother scoffed, “she’ll give up her sword when king's landing is buried in snow” Arya shot a worried look at her mother again, Catlyn didn't notice and continued to stare at her husband's worn face.

“I ought to go, let you two get reacquainted” she jested at mostly her mother who blushed and turned to scold her daughters inappropriate jest, but found the chair empty and sighed, “that daughter of yours Ned, she is wild and i’d hate to try and cage her.”

“My daughter? She’s yours too”

“No Ned, Arya is more of north, more your blood then mine, these past eight years she has grown so wild I fear she will become a wildling if given the chance” Ned smiled and Cat frowned

“She is more like lyanna then I thought she would grow to be, wild as the north, I fear we need to find her a husband and that will be a war in itself”


End file.
